Kitchen 101 – how to stock a basic pantry

Welcome to kitchen 101 by Dancing Through Sunday. This is a new series which gives you everything you need to have a fully functioning grown up kitchen (or pretend to have one anyway, like I do..). I aim to delve into my kitchen and get back to basics, sharing what I have learnt on my delicious foodie loving journey.

I never really learnt how to stock a pantry for the first time so my pantry had 2 tins of diced tomatoes, 4 soy sauces and an old empty packet of rice and two minutes noodles. Hopefully after this series, we can put the two minute noodles to rest and do away with sad looking fridges and pantries forever! Just kidding noodles, I could never give you up.

This first post is about the basic items needed to stock a pantry. With these ingredients, you have the base for a huge variety of different meals – just add your fresh ingredients and a few bits and pieces.

Before I start, all of these products are my personal favourites and this isn’t a product review. Without further adieu..

The 5 objects above are all eaten almost daily! You could say they are the staples in DTS HQ. I buy Australian garlic where I can because Chinese garlic has often been bleached – no thanks. Can be stored in a dark, cool place. Garlic and onion are a staple to so many dishes and full of flavour. They keep well so are easy to stock.

3. Freezer land:Frozen things are good. They keep for a long time and are great for back ups/easy additions to meals. Pick some of your favourite stuff then freeze it. Frozen peas, frozen rasberries and frozen broccoli are the only things always in stock in my freezer. Peas because they are so easy to whip up into salads (Pea and Haloumi salad), stirfries, fried rice or alongside some mash. Rasberries because they are the yummiest snack ever and perfect with muesli. Broccoli because whenever I am sick I crave frozen broccoli, it’s my thing. Whatever makes you feel better, stock it in your freezer!

6. Oils, vinegars and sauces:
Always having a range of oils, vinegars and sauces means you’re able to whip up dressings and flavour stirfries whenever, whereever. Don’t stinge on olive oil but also have a cooking oil on hand. I use coconut oil or olive oil but have a fancy extra virgin olive oil for dressings and drizzling.

7.Tinned beans:

I have SO many recipes using these bad boys (veggie chili,breakfast tacos, lentil bolognese) They are so simple to add to a salad, curry and are basically begging to be turned into a tasty Mexican meal. Chickpeas are also in stock however I made some hummus recently so they are on the next shopping list! Also include diced tomatoes and little mini tins of tomato paste for pasta.

8. Lentils, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, oats and polenta.
Not only is it cheaper to buy these things in bulk, but the jars look pretty and it helps inspire me wih dinner options some times because I can actually see what I have got. How’s all those benefits?!

9. Grains, nuts and seeds

Having an array of grains, nuts and seeds on hand is useful for a few reasons. I love to have a few almonds and chia seeds with my muesli or sprinkle some nuts on a salad. I also love using LSA meal in baking and quinoa for many a things (kale and quinoa patties)

10. Spices:Spices can be daunting but they can really take meals to the next level. Above are the spices I use the most, being turmeric, chili, ground cumin, dried rosemary and paprika. Most of my recipes use these spices above and I think they are a great place to start – experimenting with them is the easiest way to get to know each spice.

Other things: I forgot to mention include vegetable stock, bread crumbs, dijon mustard, muesli, grass fed butter, a good quality sea salt and then you’re ready to add some veggies and get cooking!

If you’re after any foodspiration, head over to the recipe index. There is plenty of recipes using the ingredients above.

Whats a staple you keep in your pantry at all times?

If you have a friend that needs some pantry inspiration, share this article with them!

This is such a great post. I have almost everything! I have enough tins of beans, chopped tomatoes and grains to feed a small army (Mother Hubbard just isn’t my style.) We freeze leftover bread and blitz it in the Thermomix (or food processor) to make fresh breadcrumbs. I also freeze over ripe bananas which are great for smoothies, banana bread and instant ice cream! Oh, and don’t forget the vegemite!

Vegemite is a must, as is tinned tomatoes. That’s a great idea for bread crumbs – I made a recipe tonight that I blitzed breadcrumbs instead of boying them for the first tme after seeing this comment 🙂 thank you Sammie x x

A great list! I recently cleaned my pantry out. It is over flowing with baking ingredients. I think I’ll need to use them up. I love storing things like that in recycled jars, I feel they keep things fresher but that could be unfounded lol. I really like Verjuice (Sp) I don’t drink so its a good substitute for white wine in things like risotto.

I always keep all my baking stuff and hardly use it again so I feel your pain!!! It just really adds up doesnt it?! Oh wow I haven’t heard of that, I shall have to try it out because I never keep alcohol in the house.

Great post – I didn’t know that about Chinese garlic, will try to buy Aussie in the future. I pretty much always have carrots in the house, I eat several raw every day. I also love tahini and always have cocoa powder to whip up chocolaty things!

This is awesome, Bec! Love this new series 🙂
A must-have item I’d also recommend is white miso. It last forever in the fridge and adds an amazing vegan umami flavor to dressings, sauces, soups, and just about everything else.

I try to always keep fresh turmeric now, it’s so beautiful and not at all like the dried spice! Though not technically a cooking ingredient, I try to keep a herbal tea or two (and ever run out of coffee of course) and I always know if I’m out of coconut milk!

I nearly passed! I’m happy that’s 70% of my pantry. And I’m going to put it put there, the only thing I freak out over, is running out of beans :P. My addition is quinoa flakes which I use as a substitute for flour in some of my dishes 🙂

Such a great post, you have a healthy store cupboard. Your totally right if you have these things in stock you always have the basis for a healthy tasty meal. I think I generally have most of these things in my cupboard except the rice malt syrup which I’m curious about.

This is so helpful – I’ve already spotted about ten items I’m missing in my pantry (aka all the healthy stuff lol). I have a big collection of spices at home too and I also keep pasta sauce, puff pastry and dark chocolate on hand.